Acoustic Vortex Beam System for Renal Stone Fragmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) techniques for fragmenting renal calculi are inefficient, leading to excessive energy deposition in surrounding tissues, pain, and complications, particularly with resistant calculi types like brushite, and fail to effectively fragment stones due to poor energy application and tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing acoustic vortex beams with adjustable intensity, phase, and topological charge for controlled fragmentation of solids, including renal calculi, which focuses energy efficiently to reduce tissue damage and improve fragmentation outcomes by converting ultrasonic energy into mechanical energy with lower amplitudes, thereby minimizing adverse effects on soft tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high amplitude ultrasonic pulses are used to fragment renal calculi, then fragmentation effectiveness is improved, but tissue damage and pain increase
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic beam is segmented into multiple focal zones along the propagation direction, allowing the energy to be distributed across different depths. This enables effective fragmentation of calculi at various locations while limiting the damage in any single tissue region, as the energy is not concentrated in one overwhelming focal point.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extends the traditional single-point focusing to a three-dimensional focal volume by creating multiple focal zones at different depths. This dimensional expansion allows the treatment to address calculi throughout a volumetric region rather than requiring precise single-point targeting, thereby improving fragmentation effectiveness while distributing tissue exposure.
2Use of energy by moving object
If focused acoustic energy is concentrated in a small focal zone, then energy efficiency is improved, but the risk of damaging surrounding tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic energy is segmented into multiple focal zones distributed along the propagation direction. Each focal zone receives a portion of the total energy, maintaining efficient energy utilization while preventing any single location from receiving excessive energy that would cause tissue damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies acoustic energy in a periodic manner with pulse repetition rates between 0.5-10 Hz, allowing tissue to recover between pulses. This periodic delivery, combined with multiple focal zones, enables sustained treatment effectiveness while preventing cumulative tissue damage that would occur with continuous high-intensity exposure.
3Reliability
If the focal zone is made larger to accommodate stone movement, then treatment reliability is improved, but energy density and fragmentation effectiveness decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment volume is segmented into multiple discrete focal zones rather than using a single large focal zone. This segmentation maintains high energy density within each individual focal zone for effective fragmentation, while the collective arrangement of multiple zones provides a large overall treatment volume that accommodates stone movement and positioning variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional focal plane to a three-dimensional array of focal zones distributed along the propagation direction. This volumetric distribution provides both the spatial extent needed to accommodate stone movement and the concentrated energy density required for effective fragmentation at each focal point.
4Productivity
If high pressure shock waves are used to ensure calculus impact, then fragmentation effectiveness is improved, but renal lesions and side effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The high-pressure shock wave energy is segmented and distributed across multiple focal zones rather than concentrated in a single high-pressure point. This allows the system to achieve effective calculus fragmentation through cumulative energy delivery while limiting the peak pressure in any single tissue location, thereby reducing renal lesions and side effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system delivers acoustic energy in periodic pulses at repetition rates of 0.5-10 Hz, allowing tissue to recover between pulses. This periodic delivery with multiple focal zones enables effective fragmentation over time while preventing the accumulation of damage that would occur with continuous high-pressure exposure, thereby reducing renal lesions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The acoustic vortex beam system enhances the efficiency of stone fragmentation with reduced amplitudes, minimizing pain and tissue damage, and allows for real-time monitoring and adjustment of treatment parameters to optimize energy delivery and reduce complications.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic beam generation subsystem for generating acoustic vortex beams from the acoustic waves produced by the transduction subsystem and for focusing said vortex beams in a focal volume
Implementation Method 2
These pulses are mechanical waves that produce shear stresses within the calculi and high internal stresses. After being subjected to such mechanical stresses, the calculus fractures into smaller fragments
Implementation Method 3
said transduction may be electrohydraulic, electromagnetic, piezoelectric, or of any kind
Implementation Method 4
said transduction may be electrohydraulic, electromagnetic, piezoelectric, or of any kind
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system for the controlled fragmentation of solids by means of acoustic beams, comprising at least one acoustic beam generation unit (100); and one feedback and control unit (200) of said generation unit (100). Advantageously, the acoustic beams generated by the system are acoustic vortex beams; and the feedback and control unit (200) further comprises a feedback subsystem (12), configured to receive the information relating to the fragmented solids and to utilize it so as to adapt the operation of the acoustic beam generation unit (100). Given that the generation of shearing stresses is more efficient using vortex beams, the amplitudes of the ultrasonic field needed to fragment the calculi are much lower than in current extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy techniques. Likewise, the system minimizes unwanted effects on soft tissues surrounding the solid.